


Set Up

by Dazzledfirestar



Series: Hands of Time Verse [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Get Together, M/M, Multi, Threesome - M/M/M, off screen relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-12
Updated: 2014-02-12
Packaged: 2018-01-12 01:55:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1180536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dazzledfirestar/pseuds/Dazzledfirestar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was supposed to be dinner with Phil and Nick. Apparently Phil had other plans.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Set Up

**Author's Note:**

> Prequel to my Hands of Time fic and a fill for my [trope bingo card](http://dazzledfirestar.dreamwidth.org/141960.html#cutid1). Prompt: Fork in the road.
> 
> So it's a little backstory of how Nick, Phil and Clint became a thing in this particular universe.

“You know he’s late on purpose, right?”

Clint swallowed hard before putting the menu he was hiding behind down and facing Direc—Nick. He had to get used to that if he was going to be able to do this. “Yeah, I figured that out a couple minutes ago.”

Nick sighed and took a sip of his water. “Look, if you don’t want to do this without him here, I get it. I understand. You can walk away. No harm, no foul.”

“Well, I already kissed your husband so… little harm, little foul.” Clint reached for the beer he’d ordered but didn’t give Nick a real answer. Honestly, he wasn’t sure what he was doing. He knew, of course that he as seriously, massively, stupid levels of attracted to Phil. He knew, somehow, Phil was attracted to him too. It should have been simple, really.

But the thing was, there was Nick. And Nick had all this history and life and an apartment with Phil and all the stuff Clint imagined—in his deepest darkest secretest moments—having with him. And Phil loved him. So, there was that.

And really he’d brought this on himself. Even he should know better than to randomly kiss his ridiculously attractive handler in the heat of the moment. But he’d kissed back… for a little bit anyway. So that was good. Really good. Fucking spectacular as far as Clint was concerned. Right up until the ‘but’ kicked in.

He shouldn’t have been that surprised that Phil was taken. What did however surprise the fuck out of him was the moment Phil started talking about how he’d talk to Nick. How he’d see if they could work something out. And later… “It’s a package deal, really… I understand if you don’t want to deal with both of us but, think about it.”

And he had. Repeatedly. Damn near constantly, actually. Not just the obvious stuff either, though he’d be lying if he didn’t admit to one or two extra long showers involving thoughts of Phil and Nick in bed together. But he’d seen Nick as his boss, and maybe if they ever saw each other much outside work, a friend. He’d never really considered dating the guy.

But there he was, Clint Barton on what was supposed to be dinner with Phil and Nick but had somehow—no doubt by the workings of Phil Coulson’s evil mind—turned into an awkward first date.

“Clint?”

Nick’s voice pulled him back out of his head and he stared for a moment. “I just mean… I didn’t mean to complicate things.”

“And I told you, its okay.” He smiled and Clint felt his stomach flip a little. That was new and it was a good smile. “If anybody gets how hard it is not to kiss him, it’s me.”

He was saved from having to come up with a smart ass answer, or any answer right off the bat by the arrival of their server. She smiled and asked if they wanted anything to start off with while they waited for the rest of their party. “Sounds like a good idea.” Clint smiled up at her and then at Nick.

“What do you feel like?”

“We’ve got a special tonight on our Caribbean jerk crab cakes.”

Clint was pretty sure his eyes lit up. Nick must have caught it. “Feel like sharing?” The question had weight to it that had nothing to do with the food but Clint wasn’t going to acknowledge the blush that crept over his cheeks. He nodded and Nick smirked a little. “Perfect.” He sat back, some of the tension melting away. ‘Remember that place in Kingston?”

“After the whole Ten Rings thing down there? Yeah.” Clint leaned in, taking another sip of his drink. “Best food I’ve ever had on a mission.”

“Perks of backing up the boss?”

“Pretty much.” Clint smiled again. “Phil’s going to hate those.”

“Then we don’t have to save him any.” Nick chuckled and Clint was pretty sure that was better than the smile. “I need back up when it comes to this kind of thing. We agree on a lot of things but food isn’t one of them.” Nick leaned in, mirroring Clint’s position at the table. “I meant it, Clint. If you don’t want to do this, we don’t have to.”

He stared again, taking in details of the man across from him. It was a different vibe than his attraction to Phil, absolutely. Something about it screamed slow burn, like it’d take time to get there but there was a base that could be built on. If he wanted to. That was the question. Did he want to get involved with the director of SHIELD and his handler at the same time? Either one of them would have some challenges on their own. Together, he felt like it might paint a bullseye—or a bigger one—on the back of all their heads. But was it worth it?

Clearly he needed more information.

He stood, leaning over the tables and without really thinking about it, pressing his lips to Nick’s. Part of him was pretty damn satisfied by the soft, surprised gasp he got. Or he was until Nick started kissing back.

As he sat back down, he smiled. Sure, it was going to be a lot of work, and there was a good chance they’d keep this between the three of them—maybe let Natasha in on it, if he had to—and they’d have to work twice as hard as he’d ever bothered to work on any romantic relationship he’d ever attempted. And if it failed, well… that would be all kinds of awkward in the work place. But the thing was, there was something in that kiss. The same something he’d felt with Phil. Less solid, maybe but it was there. And that was worth making a real effort to figure out. “Yeah. I think I want to.”

“Glad to hear it.” Nick’s smile took on a little more of an edge that Clint thought maybe meant he was thinking about that kiss the same way Clint was. And if that wasn’t a promising development, Clint didn’t know what would be.


End file.
